Aethes rubigana
This record describes Aethes rubigana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 15 to 19 mm. A rather attractive species, with more distinct markings than some of its close relatives. It inhabits waste ground and dry open areas containing burdock. The moths fly from late June to August, from dusk into the night. The larvae feed on the seedheads of burdock. It is locally but widely distributed throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Aethes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
It inhabits waste ground and dry open areas containing burdock.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly from late June to August, from dusk into the night.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on the seedheads of burdock.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is locally but widely distributed throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aethes rubigana. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Aethes rubigana (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Aethes rubigana
What is Aethes rubigana?
Aethes rubigana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Aethes rubigana found?
Habitat: It inhabits waste ground and dry open areas containing burdock.
When is Aethes rubigana active?
Aethes rubigana: seasonal activity - The moths fly from late June to August, from dusk into the night..
What is the life cycle of a Aethes rubigana?
The larvae feed on the seedheads of burdock.